Riding with 3 shoes...

[Boodle]

... went up to ride Pally (17hh 12yr old WB) today and he'd thrown his off fore shoe. Was not amused.

Thing is, we were meant to have a show on Sunday, our first together, but farrier cant come till Monday... the day after the show.
So I immediately discount going to show and wait for one when he has all 4 shoesies intact.
However, horsey neighbour asks me what the problem is. Says that we're only going to do a clear round and maybe a novice horse SJ class and he'll be fine with 3. He has quite good feet (ie, not crumbling).
If you were in my shoes would you take him to show regardless of whether he was lost a shoe, or would you, like I immediately thought, decide to wait for another day.

Am I being too cautious/soft?!!

 

[rara007]

The only thing putting me off would be other competioror dirty looks!!!

Haz

 

[Starbucks]

I must admit I have stayed out hunting for a while when my horse has thrown a shoe off, but I wouldn't go to a show when it is already off. The ground will probably be quite hard and he might get a bit sore. It's not going to do any serious damage but you wouldn't want him to get sore just for the sake of a clear round would you?

they always loose shoes at the worst time don't they!

 

[vieshot]

Id do it, so long as hes got good feet and isnt likely to get sore, ive riden horses with three shoes loads of time, they were always fine.

 

[Starbucks]

Just wanted to add - if it's on a surface you would be probs ok.

Don't think the other competitors would be observant enough to notice!

 

[perdiross]

I am with BB2, on this..

Do not take the chance, you could quite easily end up with a lame horse, if it is exposed to hard or stoney ground....



Tilly16

 

[druid]

Wouldn't go, if were a back shoe I would - or perhaps if it was on a very nice surface

 

[mrdarcy]

If it was a back shoe... or if its an all-weather surface. But definitely not on grass. Better to wait until he's been shod.

 

[Gentle_Warrior]

No dont do it. I only ever ride in soft school when lost a shoe. Is there any way you could take the rest of them off so that he will be level ?

 

[Boodle]

Thanks guys. Almost nice to have, what I have always believed to be right, backed up.
If the weather was bad then itd be in an indoor sand school. But if its nice itll be on grass.

 

[fjudge]

The horrible person who clicked "i really dont care" was me...was suppost to click the one above!!! Sorry!

 

[Coffee_Bean]

Hmmm, I would probably take my horse, because she has hard feet, her previous owner had her barefoot. But I would see how she feels on the day... It depends how you feel imo

 

[soph21]

as long as you aren't hacking him on roads he'll be fine. good luck for sunday

 

[K9Wendy]

I wouldn't even consider it, did it once at a dressage competition and half way round she went lame, judge was not amused to say the least! Felt really bad afterwards as she coped fine in warm up and gradually you could see her becoming more feely then just pure lame!!

Back shoe, I might consider it if ground was good, but not front, especially with jumping, a lot of weight going to landing on that foot!!

Can you find another farrier to put it back on before then? I know how disappointed you are, but there will be other shows, compared to lameness and possible time off..

 

[Boodle]

Keisha - I would get my own farrier out to him as he does our area on Fridays, but he was just here friday past and I wouldnt ask him to travel here for just one shoe for a horse that isnt on his books. Id feel bad!
Especially as Pally isnt mine anyway.

Ill let you know if i convince farrier to come out before Monday, but i highly doubt it! Lol!

LOL fjudge! No problem

 

[asbo]

back shoe i would, front not really.

hope you manage to get it back on in time.

 

[Parkranger]

Surely its nothing to do with the ground (horses event barefoot) but balance - especially when jumping! Xx

 

[Skhosu]

If he has good feet, (which shoe is it?) and is not sore, yes, I would consider. Probably only if it was a back shoe though

 

[Tierra]

I wont ride with 3 shoes at all regardless of whether its a surface or not. At an absolute push i have occasionally if its a back shoe missing, but no way in hell with a front shoe off.

 

[*hic*]

Ah I must be a horrible owner!

I have taken both boys showjumping with two shoes between them! In my defence the ground was fen peaty soil with a good grass cover and both boys are only ever shod in front. We have also tried the boys barefoot entirely but they can't cope on the roads.

The lack of shoes didn't seem to affect them too much - it was only a little local show but the bigger cob won three jumping classes whilst the littler one won one and came second in the other two. We would normally have hacked the 7 miles to the show but due to the lack of shoes we did box them there.

 

[Jellicle]

One stables I went to would take the other shoe in the pair off (so the other hind shoe) so that the horse wasn't unbalanced, and would still use the horse in the school or on good ground. Does anyone do that?